Various types of heart valve prostheses have been developed to replace the patient's native valve exhibiting valvular disease or dysfunction. Valve replacement offers requires open heart surgery, although more minimally invasive procedures (e.g., percutaneous implantation) may be utilized for replacing certain valves. Heart valve prostheses typically are either mechanical valve designs or biological designs.
The type of heart valve prosthesis and method of implantation are often dictated according to which valve requires replacement and the size of the valve. For example, a mitral valve is often larger than 23 millimeters, making various mechanical and many types of pericardial valves inadequate for replacement. Additionally, because of the large size, in order to have a functioning and effective replacement valve, the replacement procedure cannot be done percutaneously or using a traditional catheter.